Ontario Self-Exclusion Guide: How to Exclude From All Online Casinos (2026)

Self-exclusion is a voluntary program that lets you block yourself from gambling at Ontario online operators. Ontario's version is managed centrally by iGaming Ontario (iGO), which means a single enrollment applies across the entire regulated market.

When you self-exclude through iGO:

• All 48 private AGCO-licensed online casinos and sportsbooks block your access
• OLG (PlayOLG online, retail lottery wagering, retail sports wagering) blocks your access
• You cannot create new accounts at any AGCO-regulated operator during the exclusion period
• Existing accounts at AGCO-licensed operators are closed; balances returned
• Marketing communication from AGCO-licensed operators must stop

Self-exclusion is intentionally designed to be hard to reverse. The purpose is to create a cooling-off window when you need distance from gambling. If it could be disabled on impulse, it would fail as a harm-reduction tool.

1. Step 1: Go to iGO's self-exclusion page

   igamingontario.ca/en/player/self-exclusion — official enrollment portal. Don't use third-party sites for this.

2. Step 2: Verify your identity

   iGO requires identity verification to ensure exclusions match real identities (not aliases). Provide government-issued photo ID and confirmation of your date of birth.

3. Step 3: Choose exclusion duration

   • • 6 months — shortest option; good for a structured cooling-off period
   • • 1 year — common choice; full calendar reset
   • • 2 years — for sustained separation from gambling
   • • 5 years — long-term exclusion
   • • Indefinite — requires contacting iGO separately to lift; intended for people who want to stop permanently

4. Step 4: Confirm and acknowledge

   You'll acknowledge that exclusion cannot be lifted before the period expires and that violations (attempting to play during exclusion) may have consequences. Confirmation is binding.

5. Step 5: Exclusion is effective immediately

   Your identity is added to the cross-operator exclusion database. All AGCO-licensed operators are required to check this database at every login and block excluded individuals. Your existing accounts will be closed and any remaining balances returned to your payment method within 3-10 business days.

For comprehensive exclusion that includes land-based casinos, you'd need to enroll separately in OLG's land-based self-exclusion program at casino locations. iGO's program covers the online + OLG retail universe; the physical casino program covers in-person venues.

Self-exclusion is binding for the full period you select — there's no "change my mind" button. This is deliberate:

• The primary use case is creating distance when impulse control is low. If you could reverse it on impulse, it wouldn't work.
• Research on self-exclusion shows the mandatory waiting period is the most effective element of the program. Time to reconsider prevents many relapse events.
• Operators must legally honor the exclusion regardless of your later wishes — they can't accept you back even if you ask.

If the exclusion was triggered by a temporary bad period and you regret enrolling immediately after:

• Use the waiting period for reflection — work with a counselor or therapist through ConnexOntario
• Focus on non-gambling entertainment, financial recovery, or other goals during the exclusion
• Plan what you'll do differently when the exclusion expires — lower deposit limits, different operators, shorter sessions, etc.

The mandatory cooling-off at period expiry (typically 24 hours after the end date) exists to prevent impulse reversal even after the period ends. This is by design, not a bug.

When your exclusion period expires:

1. You receive an email from iGO notifying you the exclusion has ended.
2. 24-hour mandatory cooling-off begins. During this window you still cannot open accounts or wager. This prevents impulse reactivation.
3. After cooling-off, you can request to reopen accounts. This is not automatic — you must contact each operator you previously had an account at. Some operators auto-reopen pending your confirmation; others require KYC re-verification.
4. Most operators encourage lower limits. Reopening a previously-excluded account often comes with operator-imposed starting deposit limits lower than your pre-exclusion levels, with gradual ratcheting based on behaviour.
5. Consider shorter exclusion if you ever need to re-exclude. If self-exclusion is triggered by a specific pattern (e.g., after a loss streak or stressful period), shorter duration (6 months) with planned follow-up may be more sustainable than indefinite.

If you excluded indefinitely, you cannot auto-reopen. You must contact iGO directly to request lifting the exclusion. Indefinite exclusion is intended for people who want to stop permanently — reopening should be a deliberate decision, not impulse.

Self-exclusion is a tool, not a treatment. If you're struggling with gambling, exclusion is a good first step — but talk to someone who can help you with the underlying pattern.

Don't wait until it's a crisis. ConnexOntario's first-call conversation is low-pressure — they help you figure out what kind of support would be useful. You don't have to commit to anything on the first call.

There are two types of self-exclusion:

• Operator-level self-exclusion: Requested within a single casino's account settings. Blocks only that operator. Useful if you want to stop playing at one specific site but keep access elsewhere.
• iGO cross-operator self-exclusion: Enrolled through iGaming Ontario. Blocks all 48 private operators + OLG simultaneously. This is the comprehensive option.

When to use each:

• If you want to step away from a single operator (maybe you didn't like the experience or just want to focus elsewhere), use operator-level self-exclusion.
• If you want real separation from gambling, use iGO cross-operator. Operator-level alone isn't enough — you'll just migrate to another licensed casino if the impulse is there.